Our Heritage

St Magdalene of Canossa

Our Mother Foundress

Born into an Italian noble family in 1774, our Foundress, St. Magdalene of Canossa, lived during a time when education was a luxury beyond the reach of many. Motivated by her deep Catholic faith and a profound sense of compassion, she dedicated her life to providing a holistic education to the most marginalized. In 1808, she started establishing “charity schools,” where she extended care and education to the poorest and most neglected members of society.

St. Magdalene believed in nurturing the dignity of each individual and fostering an awareness of God’s love, envisioning a world where all could lead purposeful lives and contribute positively to their communities. Her focus on educating girls and women stemmed from her conviction that empowered mothers and wives play a pivotal role in building strong families and, by extension, morally upright societies.

Central to her mission was the belief in the equality of all human beings, instilling in her followers a commitment to respect and to uphold the dignity of every person. St. Magdalene’s tireless efforts were driven by her unwavering devotion to God and her steadfast dedication to serving others for the greater glory of God.

St Magdalene wanted everyone to be aware and experience God’s love, by making Jesus known and loved as the model of the “greatest love.”

The Canossian Family

St. Magdalene’s zeal to “make Jesus known and loved” has grown into any increasing number of mainstream and special schools, kindergartens, pre-schools, student care centres, and a host of accompanying allied social services and programmes. They all share the vision of St. Magdalene, and transmit the values and distinctive features of Canossian education that have withstood the test of time.

Formation of the heart remains the main focus. St. Magdalene believed in forming Christian values of respect for the individual, the dignity of the human person, concern for the disadvantaged, social justice, forgiveness, love, service, and consciousness of God.

Through the years, the Sisters worked closely with their lay partners, engaging them to collaborate as school leaders, chaplains and Canossian educators to form the young in the founding vision of St. Magdalene of Canossa.